Discuss the significance of the SHANTI Act, 2025 in transforming India's nuclear energy governance. What challenges remain in achieving the 100 GW target by 2047?

Q. Discuss the significance of the SHANTI Act, 2025 in transforming India's nuclear energy governance. What challenges remain in achieving the 100 GW target by 2047? (15 marks, 250 words)

India's civil nuclear sector, historically an NPCIL monopoly under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, was reopened by the SHANTI Act, 2025 (Presidential assent December 2025), which operationalises the Nuclear Energy Mission's goal of 100 GW by 2047 [1][2].

Significance for nuclear governance - Ends state monopoly: permits, for the first time, private companies and government–private joint ventures in nuclear power generation — a decisive break from the 1962 framework [2]. - Statutory footing to the Mission: anchors the Budget 2025-26 push, including ₹20,000 crore for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) [3]. - Diversified financing: draws private capital, easing dependence on sovereign budget support; execution is split between NPCIL (~54 GW) and PSUs/states/private players (~46 GW) [2]. - Clean baseload: positions nuclear as round-the-clock power central to India's net-zero-by-2070 pledge [4].

Challenges to the 100 GW target - Scale of leap: from ~8.78 GW today to 100 GW is over eleven-fold; the past decade added only 4 reactors (3,100 MW) against 9 (7,500 MW) still under construction — reflecting long gestation [1][2]. - Steep interim milestone: ~22 GW by 2031-32 demands rapid execution [2]. - Liability and SMR readiness: investor concerns over nuclear-damage liability and the still-nascent domestic SMR ecosystem [3]. - Coordination across NPCIL, PSUs and private actors.

By calibrating liberalisation with regulatory oversight, the SHANTI Act marks a paradigm shift; realising 100 GW now hinges on execution capacity, credible liability rules and swift SMR deployment.

(~250 words)

Sources: 1. PIB — Parliament Question: Enhancing Nuclear Energy Generation — reactors commissioned (4/3,100 MW), under construction (9/7,500 MW), 100 GW target 2. PIB — Parliament Question: Nuclear Energy Mission for Viksit Bharat — current ~8.78 GW, 22 GW by 2031-32, NPCIL/private execution split, private participation 3. PIB — SHANTI Bill, 2025 — SHANTI Act framework, ₹20,000 crore SMR outlay 4. PIB — Nuclear Energy Critical for India's Net Zero Goal — nuclear as clean baseload for net-zero 2070